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An A+ Program

Gavilan Peak School. Standards Based Science Fair. An A+ Program. Overview. Inquiry Standards Based Science Fair. If a single word had to be chosen to describe the goals of science education during the 30-year period that began in the late 1950s, it would have to be inquiry

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An A+ Program

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  1. Gavilan Peak School Standards Based Science Fair An A+ Program

  2. Overview • Inquiry • Standards Based Science Fair

  3. If a single word had to be chosen to describe the goals of science education during the 30-year period that began in the late 1950s, it would have to be inquiry (DeBoer, 1991, p. 206)

  4. Inquiry is NOT equivalent to • Problem solving • Critical thinking • Hands-on learning • (But it is associated with these)

  5. Asking questions Planning and conducting investigations Using appropriate tools and techniques to gather data Critical thinking about relationships between evidence and explanation Constructing and analyzing alternative explanations Communicating results/arguments Ways of Thinking & Acting Associated with Inquiry

  6. Defining Inquiry Exploratorium Institute for Inquiry (1996) developed the following definition: “Inquiry is an approach to learning that involves a process of exploring the natural or material world, that leads to asking questions and making discoveries in the search for new understandings.”

  7. Levels of Inquiry Learning (Herron, 1971) 0. CONFIRMATION –activity to confirm a concept with results known in advance. 1. STRUCTURED INQUIRY –activity to discover a concept with a prescribed procedure. • Recipe Style Lab • FOSS kits 2. GUIDED INQUIRY – students investigate a teacher-presented question using student-selected procedures. 3. OPEN INQUIRY – students choose problems, design and conduct investigation

  8. Levels of Inquiry Learning X boxes mean it was given to the student. 0. CONFIRMATION 1. STRUCTURED INQUIRY 2. GUIDED INQUIRY 3. OPEN INQUIRY

  9. A focus on inquiry develops • ALL of the Science process skills • Understanding of the Nature of Science • Creativity and Critical Thinking • Planning skills • Science Content

  10. The biggest problem… is choosing a problem. Most challenging and creative aspect of science: Choosing a problem that can be solved “The formulation of a problem is often more essential than its solution.” • --Albert Einstein

  11. Which are good problems for a science fair? • Why is the sky blue? • What food do mealworms like best? • Can I make a filter to clean water? • How long will a candle burn before it goes out? • How does the mass of a car influence its speed down a pine wood derby track?

  12. Goal: Progress to Open Inquity • What a child can do with assistance today, they can do on their own tomorrow. • Vygotsky • Parents as allies

  13. The Standards Based Science Fair • 1st time in the world: Gavilan Peak School May 2004

  14. Problems of Traditional Fairs • Judging • Takes a lot of judges • Weak inter-rater reliability • Can be perceived as not fair • K-8 setting students don’t explain their projects to judges and answer questions • Little or no judges feedback • Students are compared to students • A child does a great project but another does a little better. So first child does not get the award • There are only a few winners • Losing is discouraging • Parents and mentors focus on producing a winning project and push it too far beyond student centered.

  15. The Standards Based Science Fair • Students are not compared to each other but to the AZ state inquiry standards • Many legitimate winners • It puts the “fair” back into science fairs • Students get opportunities to present their projects • Specific feedback given to the students

  16. The GPS Standards-Based Science Fair • Teachers hold mini Science Fairs in their classrooms • Teachers evaluate all of their class’ projects using the rubrics • Data collected and analyzed • Teachers arrange to host and visit another class • Ribbons will be provided • Pure Standards Based • No Best in Class Award • No Student Choice Awards

  17. Interdisciplinary • Can this project be used to develop and assess written and spoken language? • Can this project be used to develop and assess math abilities? • Can art teachers provide instruction on how to create attractive and effective display boards?

  18. Timetable • Parents Night November 15, 2005 • Problem Statement (question) due • Around the first week of December • Suggestions for Project Due Date • February 13 to 17th • Science Day February 21, 2006 • Sharing between classrooms • Parents Viewing • Lots of great science events happening

  19. Meeting the Standards • Different Rubrics • Kindergarten • Grades 1-3 • Grades 4-6 • Grades 7-8

  20. GPS SBSF WWW Site • www.west.asu.edu/rillero/gps • All the rubrics • Science Fair resources that promote inquiry

  21. For more information • Shannon Harshman • 623-445-7468 • Peter Rillero • Rillero@asu.edu • 623-551-1889 • Lunch with grade level team

  22. “Self-expression is the prominent necessity of human nature.” • William Winter

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